Improved rail-capstan for ships



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. H. WILLARD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVED RAIL-CAPSTAN FOR. SHIPS.

VSpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,518, dated August 11, 1863; antedated July 27, 1863.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, W. H. WILLARD, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin RaiLCapstan and Pawl-Post 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construetion and operation ofthe sam e, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which I Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section in the direction of the line w in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the under side of the drum, and 5 is the pawl.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several views.

The nature of my invention relates to the construction of a railcapstan and pawl-post, that can be conveniently attached to the rail of ships, in pairs of two, four, or six, accord' ing to the sizeof the ship, being a greatla-borsaving machine, and enabling one or two men to perform the Work of six or eight, and with greater ease and safety. On shipboard it may be used for bracing up yards, in casting the anchors, in hoisting up the boats, in rousing up the fore and main yards, (in conneotion with a snatch-block,) and when in port it may be used in many Ways, as hauling ahead or astern, or for breasting in by side of dock, and in thus breastin g in,` no stopper is needed, as it is sufciently strong to make fast or belay to; and on board of schooners it can be used in the place of a boomtackle in booming out, or in other Words, hauling the boom fore and aft, and in that case all can be made fast by means of my arrangement.

In Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the plank sheer of the ship.

B represents the stanchion, and C represents the rail. (Shown also in Fig. 3.)

D represents a square spindle, which rests upon a step, D', upon the plank sheer A.

E represents an iron frame, bolted to the under side of the ship-rail, between two stanchions,the spindle passing upward through the center of the frame and through the shiprail C, as shown in Fig. 2.

F represents a bevel gear-wheel whose shaft is placed at right angles to the spindle D. This shaft and Wheel F are turned by means of the crank F upon the inside of the rails. Another bevelgear, G, of about three or four times the diameter of the wheel F, is placed upon the shaft D,\and secured by a pin, G. The gear F being much smaller than the gear G, it will require three or four revolutions of the crank to make one revolution of the spindle D. Upon the top of the rail C, and secured thereto, is the ratchet plate H. This is ot' a circular form, the spindle D passing through its center, forming a journal-support therefor. This ratchet-plate is provided with circular ratchet, El', into which the pawl I ts. y

K represents the drum. The hole through this is square, and fits closely upon the upper end of the spindle, which is also square, and consequently the drum rotates with the spindle. A nut upon the top of the spindle secures it from rising. The pawl I rests loosely in -a cavity inside the drum immediately above the ratchet teeth, and can be raised at pleasure by means of a rod, I. By taking a turn or two around the drum, the slack end of the rope being held taut by one hand, the crank can be turned by another, and the rope can be made fast by means of a belaypin when desired.

'I he whole capstan can be unshipped at pleasure by removing the nut on the top of the spindle and the bolts that secure the frame to the ship-rail.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described construction and arrangement of a railcapstan and pawl-post, When the several parts are arranged and operated as and for the purpose specified.

W. H. WILLARD.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, HENRY Vorn. 

